Vagrant	(1) Commander Malkin [Maloon]
Armed Brig [Armed Sloop]	August 1778-
Massachusetts Privateer Brigantine [Sloop]	(2) Commander John Conway 14 October 1778-

Commissioned/First Date:	August 1778
Out of Service/Cause:

Owners:

Jonathan Harris et al of Boston, Massachusetts

Tonnage:

Battery:

Date Reported: 14 October 1778 Number/Caliber  Weight        Broadside 10/ Total: 10 cannon/ Broadside: 5 cannon/ Swivels:

Crew:

14 October 1778: 46 [total]

Description:

Officers:

(1) First Lieutenant Josiah Leach, 14 October 1778-; (2) Second Lieutenant William Mair, 14 October 1778-; (3) Surgeon Moses Wing, August 1778-

Cruises:

Prizes:

Actions:

Comments:

Massachusetts Privateer Brigantine Vagrant was commissioned on 14 October 1778 under Commander John Conway of Boston, Massachusetts. She was listed as being armed with ten guns and as having a crew of forty-five men. Her $5000 Continental and £4000 Massachusetts bonds were signed by Conway and by Thomas and Jonathan Harris, both of Boston.¹ Josiah Leach served aboard the Vagrant as First Lieutenant² and William Mair as Second Lieutenant.³

However, it is clear that the Vagrant was in service before October 1778. In August 1778, one Moses Wing served as Surgeon on the privateer Vagrant (Malvin). In October/November he was on another privateer, brig Stark (Hubbard).⁴ Alternatively, the privateer is listed as the sloop Vagrant, and the master as Maloon [perhaps Malone].⁵

¹ Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution, 326

¹ Allen, Massachusetts Privateers of the Revolution, 313

² MSSRW, 9:588

³ MSSRW, 10:144

⁴ Massachusetts Society of the Sons of the American Revolution: Register of Members, April 19, 1907, and Records of their Revolutionary Ancestors with the Constitution and By Laws and Proceedings of the Society and Managers, F. A. Baggette Company: Springfield, 1907, 191. I am unable to further identify this privateer.

⁵ http://worldcupcafe.pbworks.com/Moses+Wing+I1000000

Posted 28 October 2009

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